I believe service to one’s profession is both a privilege and an obligation. It’s a privilege because it affords one the benefit of getting to know colleagues, to work with others outside of the daily job, to share ideas and energy, and to find both professional support and friendship. It’s an obligation because a profession only becomes such when it embodies a group of individuals who share a common expertise and knowledge; something that requires continuous work. We are obliged to keep our profession viable by fostering an environment where we continue to grow and learn and change as needed.

I have served on the Executive Board of NAHSL, as the Chair of the Electronic Communications Committee and MAHSLIN representative, for the past three years. As the EC Committee Chair, I’ve led the change (the charge?) of our Association towards greater use of technology and electronic media. I’ve promoted the use of collaborative space for the website so that more members can add content, started a blog for people to share news and events and opinion, and launched a Twitter account to archive the thoughts and reactions of members at the Annual Meeting. As Chair Elect, and eventually Chair, of NAHSL, I’d like to continue this move, though less with the introduction of new tools, but more the introduction of new people and new ideas. I would like to see us expand our membership and welcome individuals who have skill sets that overlap, but also extend beyond our own; people who work in information management, instructional design or scholarly publishing. Whether we encourage individuals in these professions to join our organization OR we focus upon them more and more to help us in our own continuing education efforts, I believe there is great advantage in bringing our areas of knowledge and expertise together. We can learn from one another and gain skills that help us continue to evolve and remain relevant in our work places. I believe this is a positive and necessary move, and one I’d seek to bring about for us.

NAHSL has a legacy of strong leadership and vision. It’s my hope that as Chair of the organization, I’d continue the same. Thanks for your consideration.

I would like to be the NAHSL candidate to the MLA Nominating Committee because it sometimes seems as if the interests of hospital librarians are not adequately served by the MLA. I would like to ensure that future candidates to the presidency of MLA share a wider view of the issues of medical librarianship to include those of hospital libraries.

For many years I have been able to serve the Hospital Libraries Section in a variety of capacities, most recently (and for the longest tenure) as editor of the Section’s newsletter. This role as given me a perspective on the critical and vital needs of hospital librarians, and I believe that I would represent the “community-at-large” if selected to serve on the Nominating Committee. It is imperative that the voice of the solo librarians, the small hospital libraries, as well as larger institutions all be heard at the table. I believe I can bring a unique viewpoint to the Nominating Committee and the selection process.